There’s Magic in Orlando

Hi Jennifer,

Thanks for your suggestions that I create a blog to record my adventures and my thoughts while I am spending the winter in Florida. I decided to half take your idea. I’m writing a blog for the days — only too rare — when ‘Linda’ is active. For the most part I’m just keeping the blog to myself. I think in the old days we called that a diary. However rather than rewrite for you everything I’ve been doing here is my ‘blog’ for a recent three-day period. Hope you are not too bored by it.

Thursday: It is finally here. This weekend I will be heading over to Orlando for the Tri-Ess chapter meeting on Saturday. Some of the girls are going out for dinner on Friday so I’ve decided to join them and make a weekend of it. I picked up the rental car this evening so I can head out as Linda first thing tomorrow and do some shopping on the way to Orlando.

Friday afternoon: Well things didn’t work out quite as planned. I didn’t get away as early as I’d hoped so shopping was out of the question. I headed straight to my hotel in Altamonte Springs. (Jenn, you may ask why Altamonte Springs as it is a bit away from the usual ‘action’. Stay tuned for the reason.) It was no problem to check in as Linda, even showing my ID along with the credit card as required by Florida law.  I’m now ready for a nice bath and to re-do my makeup.

Saturday morning: Wow! What a night! I’ve still got a lot of nerve and so far things seem to be going right for me. The Tri-Ess girls’ night out (GNO) was at a small restaurant in the Winter Park area of Orlando. I think it was called the Shine Neighborhood Pub. I’m not sure of the name as there was no sign outside, probably a concession to it being in a residential district. We were some 15 girls grouped at two tables,  the usual assortment of support group girls anywhere — from the young to us older girls, wispy to heavy, joking and lively to quiet and serious. I think we all had one thing in common. We all were trying to present as feminine an image as possible. On the way to the dinner I had stopped at Ritzy Rags, a store owned by a leading female impersonator in the Orlando area, Leigh Shannon. She wasn’t there but Paige was. Paige was very helpful in letting me run up my credit card bill as I purchased a new wig and earrings, which I immediately put to use,and some Ben Nye makeup, a brand I haven’t seen in years. (Editor’s Note: Ben Nye is a professional theater and film makeup and is available from theatrical supply stores.)

To make a long story short the dinner was great. Well, there was a problem with my food order. Of course, being the girl who was the hungriest, I would have my order forgotten and then the wrong order would come. A few of the girls were incensed that mistakes were happening to their Canadian guest but I took it all in stride. Despite the advance reservation the restaurant was obviously busier than usual with us there. Besides, the net result was the server first ‘comping’ me a glass of wine and then telling me my evening was ‘on the house’. I made sure she, at least, had a nice tip.

As we were all leaving the restaurant one of the girls, Leah, suggested a visit to the Parliament House gay resort for some dancing. Amy suggested a visit to Sips, a nearby wine bar. However I had other plans. Now I just had to see if I had the nerve to follow through.  In my hotel there is a night club that some nights is a karaoke bar, some nights a comedy club but last night it was singles’ dance club. I had been there several times in boy mode, enjoyed the music and found the ladies very friendly. Last evening I wanted to be one of the friendly ladies.

After a quick trip to the hotel’s ladies’ room to check my makeup I made my way to the lounge, appropriately called the Why Not Club.

I pulled out the usual $10 to pay my cover charge. “Not necessary,” said the person on the door, “ladies are admitted free.” Good sign, I thought to myself.

That was nice as were the pleasant looks I felt as I made my way to the bar where was one of the few empty seats in the room. I ordered my third glass of chardonnay for the evening and settled in to enjoy the R&B cover band and study the crowd or more accurately to study if the crowd was studying me.  I didn’t make much of an impression. I did get in one brief conversation with one lady who came over to watch the end of the Orlando Magic’s basketball game on a nearby TV.

I would like to say that a tall young gentleman came over to ask me to dance, he swept me off my feet and we’ve decided to live happily ever after but that didn’t happen.

I enjoyed the music. I enjoyed a brief conversation where I was accepted as just another girl on a night out and then I left. My guess from studying the plenitude of women around me and the shortage of interesting looking guys is that I wasn’t the only woman expecting to leave alone. My gosh: I fit in!

Sunday Evening: Wow! What a busy 36 hours! I slept in a bit Saturday morning. I felt like going jogging but ended up passing on that and went shopping instead. I changed hotels so that I could be closer to the Tri-Ess meeting in Kissimmee. Again Linda had no problem at the front desk. Some of my ‘more out there’ friends look down their nose at support groups such as Tri-Ess and Renaissance but I love them. I’m always meeting someone and I love the exchange of information. Sometimes I am able to share my experience but often even after all these years I’m still learning. The Orlando Tri-Ess group has to be one of the more active and long standing groups on our continent. This year they will celebrate their 25th year.

I could go on at length about the meeting but let me just beg off by saying what happens at Tri-Ess stays at Tri-Ess. I did end up the evening having a long and intimate chat with a new member, Teresa.

This morning it was time to return home. I couldn’t go without at least a few stops at shops along the way. Ross: Dress for Less, J C Penny, Dress Barn, Marshall’s and the ladies clothing section at a Golfsmith all got my attention if not my cash business.

What a weekend but as I write this my makeup is getting a little tired, my organ is definitely feeling strained by my thong and my wife is pouring me a nice hot bath. I think it is time to sign off.

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Category: Transgender Fun & Entertainment